Paul Mirengoff seems to have the same reaction I did to Obama’s “bumps in the road” quote.

The curious thing wasn’t that the president referred to the deaths of several U.S. embassy personnel as “bumps in the road”–that’s typical of a president who has no perspective on history or international relations. The curious thing is the part of his quote referring to Islam as “the one organizing principle” in “a lot of these places.”

Where are the protests? Where’s the indignation from the Council on American Islamic Relations? If this comes out of the mouth of anyone else, it’s fuel for fire. But it comes from the Zero and … nothing. Unless you’ve heard something I haven’t.

Like this:

Yesterday, a CNN anchorette interviewing Chicago Teachers Union head Karen Lewis about the teachers strike there said the following:

You are in charge of our nation’s children.

The statement was in the context of trying to express the importance of teachers staying in the classroom, I think. All I can remember for sure is my shock at her statement.

I didn’t hear Lewis’ response, but I doubt that even she would agree with the CNN anchorette, although perhaps she did. To be fair, I don’t know of many government education bureaucrats or teachers who would agree with such a statement, at least not publicly. But it does illustrate the conclusion to which at least one person outside of that bureaucracy has come thanks to decades of propaganda.

As I noted on Facebook, it’s the tagline for a new movie: “In Loco Parentis Gone Wild!”

No, neither teachers nor bureaucrats nor government are in charge of our nation’s children. Parents should be in charge of our nation’s children, but many of them have given up that responsibility to government. Many, however, retain that authority, especially among homeschool families like ours.

While in Loveland, Colorado, recently, I needed to get some quality coffee before heading into the Big Thompson Canyon and happened upon a place called Dazbog. It’s a Denver-based chain with some great coffee and superior graphics. It took all my willpower to resist buying this mug to add to my already overflowing collection. I did, however, buy some coffee to bring home. Their Ethiopian is killer. But I think the best thing about Dazbog is their logo.

Like this:

We’re seeing it all over, in federal government and state governments. Here’s an example:

Kansas’ decision to take federal family planning funds away from Planned Parenthood has put the state in a vise.

That any state, and there are now several, would dare to challenged an entrenched NGO like Planned Parenthood is amazing.The states that have done so are now being challenged by the federal government, setting up a conflict there as well.

We’ve got a long way to go before we get back to sanity in this country, but at least it’s not business as usual.

Rev. Doug Hucke and the other leaders of Northminster Presbyterian Church in Peoria have always taken principled stands in the past when their denomination, Presbyterian Church USA, has taken unprincipled stands. One example is PCUSA’s effort to divest itself of Caterpillar Inc. stock because Cat sells equipment to Israel, equipment which the denomination accused Israel of using illegally against Palestinians. Representatives of Northminster, which includes many Cat employees among its members, questioned why the denomination would take action that would financially harm some of its own members and why it would single out Israel for such action but take such a light approach toward Palestinians who attacked Israel.

Recently, PCUSA voted to drop requirements that its ministers “live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and woman, or chastity in singleness.” In other words, opening the door for ordination of anybody engaged in a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

This is a very troubling development and one that Northminster Presbyterian does NOT endorse. Our standards for church officers will remain unchanged. Northminster will not knowingly ordain people engaging in sexual activity outside the bonds of marriage between a man and woman. The change that took place this week does not alter our position on this issue. Nor will the change be forced upon us in any way.

Like this:

If anything, Obama’s statement—misunderstood or not—that Israel should return to its pre-67 borders will embolden Palestinian terrorists, evidenced by Hamas calling for a return to 1948 borders.

If Obama is unwilling to make demands of Hamas to halt all attacks on Israel, etc., but instead puts the weight on Israel to cave in, Hamas and Hezbollah will see that as tacit approval of their positions. If Obama continues down this road, look for increased attacks from Gaza and Lebanon in coming months.

He offered a “helpful” clarification of his positions on Sunday to the American Israel Political Action Committee, saying that he was misrepresented, although his statement on Thursday was pretty clear. Either the Great Miscommunicator blew it again or, as suggested on WLS-AM this morning, he was testing the waters.

I really got a kick out of this response from senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar:

Speaking to Al-Emirate Al-Youm, Zahar asked “Why won’t we talk about the 1948 borders? Why won’t we discuss the partition plan which was internationally recognized?”

Of course, that partition plan was rejected by all Arabs, who immediately launched a war on Israel. Now it’s what they want? Well, I guess that’s progress.

Like this:

It’s not like we haven’t argued before over whether God hears the prayers of a non-Christian. Jerry Falwell got us involved in that discussion in 1980. But, in the wake of a new Pew poll showing 18 percent of Americans think the Ø is a Muslim, the White House has implied that prayer is a Christian practice by definition.

White House spokesman Bill Burton said most Americans care more about the economy and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and “they are not reading a lot of news about what religion the president is.” He commented on Air Force One as Obama headed for a vacation in Massachusetts on Martha’s Vineyard.

Burton added, “The president is obviously a Christian. He prays everyday.”

Christians who have a good spiritual discipline do pray every day. But so do Muslims, 5 times daily. And observant Jews, 3/day. And Baha’is. And pagans. And Hindus.

I’m not sure why this is such an issue, other than we’re all so used to hearing Obama lie that it wouldn’t be unusual to find out he was lying about his faith or that the conspiracy mill is juiced about where his loyalties lie (besides in himself).

As a messianic believer in Yeshua, I’d just as soon the Ø turn out to be something other than a Christian or Jew until such time as he changes his ways. For right now, he wouldn’t be doing either tradition proud.